I considered it the best one-star Michelin spot in Istanbul, and the only one-star that could compete with similar establishments in Western Europe or the US. The views are amazing - make sure you ask for a table on the terrace, closest to the windows. Initially I felt neglected, but I ended up asking for a better table and was rewarded. Food: exactly what you'd expect at this kind of spot, with meticulous plating and luxe ingredients. Dietary accommodations are respected here, a pleasant surprise given most of Europe is a "take it or leave it" kind of kitchen. read more

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Nice ambiance, amazing view. The food was very good and the presentation of the plates too. The service after we got our server was nice. But we felt neglected arriving, we sat at the bar and tried to engage with the bar tender, we saw some older people getting all the attention. After we sat at our table took about 15 minutes to get any help... I had to complain and after that everything got better read more

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As you walk in, you realize that the views are amazing! We first had a glass of wine in the terrace, with a great view of the Golden Horn and Bosphorus. Then we had dinner, and what an experience. The "amuse bouche" were outstanding, and the three courses we had were also beautiful and so well done! We truly enjoyed it. Yes, it is expensive, but worth every Turkish lira...! The staff were also very friendly and timely. read more

Mikla is definitely expensive for local standards. I opted for the 3-course menu for TL3,300 and picked a lion fish appetizer, prawns entree, and strawberry-basil dessert. The portions do not justify the price, but they were delicious. The views are gorgeous, and if it's not raining, the waitstaff will open up the screen doors and let you go out onto the balcony. I guess the price of the views is included in the meal. Tax is not included in the price; be prepared to pay 12% extra. read more

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A Michelin Star recipient, with a privileged view atop The Marmara Pera Hotel, Mikla Restaurant features Chef Mehmet Gürs' "New Anatolian Cuisine" in a room designed to attract tourists and Turkish elite. Offered a la carte, or as a 3,400 Lira Tasting Menu for six courses plus Canapes and Bread, it is after exiting the elevator that guests are seated at linen-topped tables with Cocktails or Wine soon in hand. Focused on Turkey's natural diversity, but also employing an eye towards innovation, Gürs current menu begins with Balık Ekmek offered as a two-bit Cracker before transitioning to savory Lavash with Goose and smoky Bonito with a quenelle of Dill. Fairly standard in its progression, the first proper course a petite Vegetable medly centering on Artichoke, Gürs Beef Carpaccio sees the Vegetable's Stem pickled as an accouterment alongside Chestnuts and Chilis. Next cleansing the palate with Mercimek Corbası, the coil of Octopus to follow tender but a little overworked, Sea Bass represents the only sizable piece of Protein on Mikla's menu but largely gets lost in the wake of Olives, Capers and Vinegar. Unsurprisingly closing with Lamb, well prepared with bold aromatics, Dessert arrived after twenty-five minutes and found just two spoonfuls of Pumpkin Cream juxtaposing Saffron and Sesame. read more

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It must just be me, since this is apparently one of the world's 50 best restaurants, but for me it was the most forgettable of all our Istanbul dining experiences. There are so many fresh takes on Anatolian cooking across Istanbul that I can't understand why this has become the poster child for the modern Turkish table. I will grant that we had the vegan tasting menu, so perhaps something is lost there. But dishes like the fennel - shaped like a much less delicious su börek - and the generic roasted asparagus vegetable plate left the faintest of impressions. What relation was there between the mantı and the classical rendition? With neither flavors, filling or shape left intact, this became a colorful but generic tortellini dish. And I've had far better zeytınyağli, classic cold dishes in olive oil, at a random lokantasi in Üsküdar. read more

Mikla - Scandinavian Near Me - Istanbul, 34

Mikla is a great restaurant with a beautiful view. The food was excellent. We had a three course meal, but they kept bringing little added extras. All the food is exquisitely prepared and beautifully presented. Our waiter was wonderful and provided information on each dish as it arrived. You can't beat the views from either the restaurant or the roof top bar. Make a reservation a little before sunset, have a drink on the rooftop and watch the sunset, and then enjoy a wonderful meal inside. read more

Mikla - View from rooftop bar. - Scandinavian Near Me - Istanbul, 34

Good view. Very interesting combinations... fancy food 3 course meal. No ala carte, but worth it . Very different from normal fair food InThis area. read more

Greetings from Istanbul. Mikla has been a great experience from various perspectives. The food was sumptuous and bursting with flavors, well complemented by the spectacular view of Istanbul and the excellent service provided by Berkan. read more

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What a treat. We dined here in March and it was fantastic. We did the 3 course prix fixe along with wine pairing and were not disappointed. We had the lamb heart and octopus as our starters then shared the Beef Rib Steak (for two) and finished with dessert. It was a wonderfully flavorful meal (traditional yet elevated). The ambience in the dining room was modern and classy but not at all stuffy. The service was attentive and smooth. We arrived early and had a couple of rounds of drinks at the bar in order to enjoy the view and catch the sunset (highly recommended). The lamb heart and octopus should not be missed and we had enough steak to take some leftovers with us. Outstanding bar/wine program, delicious food, and a phenominal view make Mikla a spot not to miss while in Istanbul. read more

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Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Food, service, ambiance - 10/10. Only downside is each course took a while to come out. However, there's a outdoor rooftop upstairs which we went for pictures and listening to music. The wine selection here was also really good. read more

Mikla - Scandinavian Near Me - Istanbul, 34

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3.5 stars Mikla Chef Owner Mehmet Gürs is credited with helping establish the New Anatolian Kitchen - a food movement that takes traditional Anatolian cooking and elevates it with modern creativity. For the relative price point of $90USD, drinks included, I thought my dinner experience was a good value. Compared to other similarly ranked restaurants around the world though, the execution and service were not quite there. While I enjoyed the starters and desserts, the main entrees were very overcooked and overall forgettable. The seven course tasting menu didn't offer any exclusive dishes beyond those offered a la carte. Since I dined here with a group of four, we decided to go with the three course a la carte menu to try more options. If you go in a larger group, I would recommend this route since the portions were very sharable. Small Bites Mikla's iconic take on the local Balık Ekmek (fish sandwich) was standout. The extra thin bread was interpreted as cracker on a stone stand, with a sardine section baked in the middle. I also enjoyed the zesty olive oil, goat milk butter, and cheese spread that came with the house bread. First Course The Iskenderun Prawns with rock samphire and sugar bean hummus was my favorite among our four first courses. The jumbo prawns were tender and the samphire greens had good contrasting brightness with the creamy, mild hummus. The olive oil braised Artichoke was another strong dish - simplicity done right. The Red Mullet had a similar winning combo of punchy flavors and contrasting creamy texture as the prawns. Only the Chilled Dried Beef was a dud. Second Course The meal went off course for the main entrees. My favorite dish was the vegetarian option of Asparagus which was cooked to perfection, retaining the right amount of snap. The Octopus was disappointingly chewy, the Sea Bass tough, and the Braised Lamb overly dry. Presentation was also uninspired. Third Course I did think that dessert salvaged the meal, with the punchy, yet balanced flavors. This was my first time having Tavuk Göğsü, a traditional local dessert made with chicken breast. Though strange sounding to my foreign palette, the chicken added an intriguing depth to the dish, without being offensively "animal" in taste. The sour flavors from fermented fig, mulberry, and apple complemented the fullness of the chicken. Wine In lieu of pairings, we opted for a recommended bottle of Turkish white and red wine from Thrace region in Turkey which borders Greece. The Albarino & Narince blend was bright and mineral dry white. This became pretty good after some breathing time. The Öküzgözü is a red grape that had a gasoline nose, medium body, and an earthy spice to it. I enjoyed this dry red quite a bit. Summary While I enjoyed the meal overall and appreciated the rooftop ambience, I did feel somewhat let down by the execution of the main entrees. Given Mikla's reputation in the global fine dining scene (World's 50 Best), I expected more elevated dishes and refined service as well. read more

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Mikla in 3 words: crazy sexy cool... Insane rooftop view (I used to live in NYC and this is one of the most breathtaking cityscapes I've seen) Delicious and innovative upscale Turkish cuisine Very reasonably priced tasting menu Friendly, but, er, leisurely service Must go when in Istanbul but call ahead to ensure you can sit on the patio! read more

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I took my beautiful date to this place for a reservation. We had a lovely time enjoying delicious cocktails on the rooftop bar. We saw the city scape around sunset. The meals were perfectly portioned and very intriguing and flavorful. We both enjoyed our time. Our waiters were very courteous, helpful and our food came at a reasonable pace. read more

Food is delicious and view is great. Service is very good. Reservation is required. Enjoy your dinner read more

We visited this restaurant to celebrate a birthday when visiting Istanbul and had a fantastic night. Located on the roof, the views of Istanbul are really amazing. We visited when it was slightly cooler (in February) so we couldn't sit outside, however, it would be beautiful to sit outside and look at the view when it's a little warmer. We did the tasting menu with wine pairing and had an absolutely amazing meal. Everything was very well prepared and we chose the local wine option and were really pleasantly impressed with how good it all was. Before being seated, we had cocktails at the bar and they were fantastic as well. Highly recommend. read more

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We enjoyed every aspect of our meal here . The views are stunning and the cocktails fantastic. Our friends were a bit late and our server was very understanding and allowed us to wait quite some time. We enjoyed the three course prix fixe which is quite reasonable for this level of food. I had the prawns that were just incredible and my partner had the lamb. The starer was called manny which was like a dumpling that could have been a dinner entre on to itself. And the deserts were wonderful as well. All in all this was a wonderful experience! read more

The amuse bouches (2 of them!) were quite good. Unfortunately, neither the appetizers not the main courses met the standard expected of a restaurant with a Michelin star. The fish in both dishes we ordered was astonishingly tasteless. In my seafood stew my first bit was a clam that was full of grit. The meal was paced oddly - first too quick and then too slow. Our waiter was not friendly and not concerned with us; the young asian woman who was doing leg work was quite nice, though. It was over-priced, given the quality of the food and the quality of the service. Other Michelin star restaurants we've eaten at were much superior; Michelin, if you are listening, this place does not deserve its star! We ate on Saturday at 8pm, when you would think that the kitchen would be at its best. Look elsewhere if you want to spend $400 on a dinner for two in Istanbul! read more

Did the three course prix fixe, and they also provided small appetizers before our meal. It was fun to taste the different dishes, but none of the items rocked my world. Everything was very average tasting, but the dish presentation was good. For my three course, I got the duck, braised lamb, and chocolate mousse. The duck wasn't very tender or flavorful. The braised lamb was pretty tender, but didn't have much flavor. The chocolate mousse was very meh. Overall, the meal is definitely NOT worth the price, as all the dishes were forgettable and not flavorful. The view was pretty good since we came here during sunset, but still don't think it is worth the price. I would NOT recommend wasting a meal here if you are visiting Istanbul. Go elsewhere and try some local cuisine! read more

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Incredible views of the city, paired with first class service, ingeniously delicious food, and wonderful wine pairing. Get a reservation before sunset, arrive early to have a drink on the rooftop before dinner, soak in the view. 6 course tasting menu for 250tl plus 165tl for the wine pairing. I know this is not cheap compared to Turkish standards, but it felt like a bargain for someone from the states. The food and the service was definitely worth the price. The view tops it all off. read more

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24/7 Breathtaking view: where the city's sunrise blends in sunset with unbelievable magic. The best rooftop bar with its flavorful and rare drink types. Delicious food with unique presentation, and of course modern atmosphere with high class service. Welcome to Mikla: Mesmerizing Istanbul in its kooky authentic lifestyles. read more

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Mikla offers an unbeatable gastronomic experience. The food is based on Turkish cuisine interpreted by a world class chef. The venue is modern, hip and provides some of the best scenic vantage points in the city. My wife and I brought our families to Mikla and ordered the 3 course tasting menu for all. Between the eight of us, we ordered every dish and had a chance to taste it all. My first note is that Mikla serves a couple of dishes on the house in addition to the three courses and you won't leave the restaurant hungry. We started off with a bowl of Ayran (yoghurt drink) with wheat on a bowl (served like a gezpacho) on the house. For the first course, I ordered sardines and bread. The bread was thin and crunchy like a cracker and the sauce was dense. The crunchy cracker with the dense sauce and the soft sardines provided an interesting consistency and blew my mind with its flavors. I highly recommend the following two appetizers as well: the artichoke appetizer was also both familiar and innovative. We are mostly used to serving artichoke whole while this appetizer was cut into small squares and served with lemon juice. I also tried the lamb heart. It was served thinly sliced (its consistency was like pan fried liver slices) with lentils. Delicious. For the second course, I ordered the monkfish. It was very fresh and flavorful. The beans, greens, and almonds went perfectly with it. I also had the chance to try the braised and grilled lamb. The lamb was tender in both cases. I really liked how cherries and the mushroom went with the grilled lamb. I highly recommend these three entrees. For the third course, most desserts were ice cream matched with a fruit on the bowl. The taste and consistency interplay between the two components were innovative and delicious. I tried the sour cherry with cheese ice cream. The sourness of the cherries with the mild sweetness of the ice cream had a different taste profile in every spoon based on how much of it was mixed with the other. Although I highly recommend the sour cherry, buffalo yoghurt dessert was maybe more ming blowing. Strawberry sorbet with more creamy yoghurt had the same kind of taste interplay as the sour cherry dessert. We were given a great table. On one side, we had a great view of the old city and on the other side, we had a glimpse of the rest of the city in another window. In addition to the perfect food and the views, the service was impeccable. The staff timed the dishes such that we took our time with each and were not rushed at all. Overall, we stayed for 3.5 hours and felt that it was the plan of the staff to keep is there that long to fully savor the experience. The magic of the experience was that the foodies among our group were equally impressed as the ones who are more casual about food (who wouldn't jump through hoops to try new food and places). One of the best food experiences I ever had. read more

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Great place to grab a nice dinner in Istanbul. Amazing views and quality food for a great price (due to current conversion rates). read more

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Six stars for the view which is the best I have ever seen in my 56 years of wandering this planet. Not kidding. The BEST view ever and worth it just for that. The food is also very good. Lamb and fish were the best . Amazing rice pudding. Wonderful meal I will remember my whole life. Only draw back was a loud contingent of nouveaux riches Californians who induced one couple to change tables to get away from them. Quelle dommage!! read more

Mikla - Sunset from our table at Mikla. - Scandinavian Near Me - Istanbul, 34

This was my first take on a french-style elaborate gastronomic tasting menu in Turkey. The six course tasting menu costs a pretty penny but I wanted to see what elevated Turkish cusine would taste like during my visit! The Food: - Seabass Amuse Bouche - This was one of the first free tastes we were offered. It was a sea bass ceviche. The marinade was lovely and had plenty of acid. Personally sea bass for me is to "fishy" of a fish for ceviche. I much rather prefer the tuna/salmon versions of ceviche but I understand why they chose sea bass (most popular fish type in Turkey!) - Zeytinyagli - This was an elevated take on "enginar" which is a artichoke dish in turkey. The taste was exactly like the classic enginar turkish dish but the presentation was a lot prettier! - Balik Ekmek - This is a take on the classic "fish and bread" dish in Turkey which you can find as fast-food take out places littered along the Bosporus. Again, I'm not a huge fan of sardines so this wasn't the best dish for me but this dish had an excellent presentation! - Lamb Heart - Yeah I know what you're thinking, how nice can lamb heart be? This dish did not disappoint! The morel mushrooms gave the dish a nice earthiness while the burned butter gave the dish the perfect amount of creamyness. - Monkish: I think my favorite part of this dish wound up being the broad beams believe it or not. This was my least favorite item on the menu but mostly due to me being more of a meat gal than a fish gal. - Braised Lamb: They apparently saved the best for last because this was easily the tastiest savory item on the tasting menu. The lamb was fall-apart-on-your-fork tender. Definitely save enough room to finish this whole dish! - Buffalo Yoghurt: My favorite dish on the entire tasting menu hands down. The yogurt was the best yogurt I've ever tasted and the sorbet on top was a delicious pallet cleanser. - Cheeses: I'm not a huge fan of cheese as-is so this was kinda meh for me, but the cheese lovers at the table loved this! Overall if Turkey had Michelin stars this restaurant would be a solid 1/2 stars. The food is delicious and the service is superb. Looking at most of the guests in the restaurant they were mostly speaking English (not a lot of locals here) as it appears that elevated gastronomy experiences haven't become to the hot new trend in Turkey yet. I'd definitely recommend visiting if not only to visit their rooftop which has an amazing view of downtown Istanbul! read more

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Worst dining experience ever. This can't be Istanbul's best. Overpriced and under-delivered on all aspects - horrible service, food, wine pairing. Such a scam! read more

This was a very good and surprising restaurant perched on top of an old hotel in Perna, adjacent to the old Italian palaccio which had housed the original US embassy, and the next door Perna Palace Hotel, terminus of the Orient Express. It is great to see the formerly run down Pera district being restored. The views from this roof top restaurant are the best in old Istanbul. read more

Great restaurant with modern Turkish food located in the rooftop of The Marmara Pera hotel, overlooking Sultanhamet. As tourists, we wanted to explore a high end Turkish restaurant during our trip. We were not disappointed! Restaurant offers a fix-price 3-course menu, in which you get to choose starter-main-dessert, or a 7-course tasting menu. Being clueless about most of the dishes, I followed our waiter's suggestions and was pleased with his advice. Local wine was algo pretty good!! I would definitely recommend this restaurant for anyone looking for a high-end dining experience in Istanbul! For more details, see photos! read more

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The best view in Istanbul Very good service and the best Turkish wine selection I highly recommend the braised lamb and Mante The service is exquisite and staff extremely friendly read more

The view, the food, the service:impeccable. Located at the top of the marmara pera hotel in istanbul the views are incredible. It was summer so we sat outside. Decor was incredible and the food Michelin star worthy. read more

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Aside from Google maps failing us as we made our way there, it was a wonderful, wonderful night spent at Mikla. Fine dining on the rooftop level while overlooking the Bosphorus River that separates the European and Asian sides of Istanbul (Mikla is in on the European side of the city) and without a pompous vibe? Yes, please. The chef hails from a combination of Turkish and Scandinavian backgrounds and serves to transform local ingredients into a contemporary twist. And, this concept works. He does the Istanbullus proud. From start to finish, every course featured local ingredients with a contemporary spin. Our bread platter came with Turkish olive oil, sea salt, goat cheese with toasted hazelnuts. Hazelnuts are fantastic in Turkey too, not just pistachios. The "half cooked Dentex" (and I just learnt that Dentex is a type of fish!) was served in fish consomme. The skin of the fish was charred until crispy and the meat was soft. The dry aged tenderloin was served; definitely very interesting and we saw that as the restaurant's own take to steak tartare. The lamb was very distinct with its very deep smoky flavor and not gamey. The sutlac was another attempt of turning a traditional dessert to a contemporary one. The rice pudding was deconstructed and served with green apple sorbet, strawberry puree, and graham cracker crumbs. The cheese platter greatly showcased several types of Anatolian cheese. Service was professional and definitely in no rush. This place may offer great views but it's not one of those cheesy rooftop touristy places. It has wonderful food! read more

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What an incredible experience! Prior to our trip to Turkey, Mikla was on our radar as one of the top 50 restaurants in the world and we were so excited we were able to snag a reservation a week prior to our visit. Very sexy atmosphere, the staff was wonderful and the food was incredible. I highly recommend if you have a chance to visit Istanbul, this experience would be well worth your time. read more

Amazing meal and view. The 7 course tasting is wonderful. The atmosphere and views were perfect.

Our one splurge in Istanbul. Unparalleled view. Michelin star quality food. Sophisticated dining to wow all your senses. The 3 course ala carte prix fixe is more than enough food. Everything was excellent. There was four of us, each had something different (just about) and not a single disappointment. My advice? Please show some respect and dress to impress. If I have to see another geriatric in a sweatshirt, grandpa/ma jeans and orthopedic sneakers ... Also? Make reservations, go early and nab a window seat. Get there 20 mins before sunset and have a drink at the terrace and soak in the view. Then, eat like a King! read more

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Öne of the few Michelin star restaurants in Istanbul with great panoramic view and modern interpretations of Turkish cuisine.

We are fortunate to eat at some special restaurants globally. With that context, I can say that I enjoyed every bite of the tasting menu last night at Mikla. There was more than enough variety - local vegetables and herbs, seafood, and meat - and the braised lamb course, my favorite, was a perfectly executed, balanced, well-seasoned dish. The wine pairings were interesting enough, featuring all Turkish wines. I particularly liked the sparkling wine, the white blend that included Viognier, the red featuring the Öküzgözü grape, and the more than respectable late harvest dessert wine. A bit of a surprise that the consistency and quality were as high for a modestly-priced pairing. And, the dining room styling and gorgeous rooftops view over Istanbul completed a great experience. The primary server was cooler than I would like, seemingly going through a script, but the service standard was high enough. Overall, I highly recommend Mikla if you enjoy a Michelin-quality meal that is not traditionally Turkish but has its roots in Turkey and made from all local product. read more

Firstly, do make a reservation. I made ours via email about a month before our trip. It is a popular place and most likely will not be able to get a table if you just show up. So on to our experience. Mikla is on the top floor of the Marmara Pera hotel. I believe it is 19th floor? The first thing you notice as you walk in is the amazing view of the city! If it is early enough you can walk out to the balcony and take pictures or just take it all in. We were there at 7pm and the sun was just about to set so very romantic. I think they close the door to balcony once it gets dark (there are tables there so people are already sitting). Their wine menu is quite impressive. We decided on glasses of different Turkish red wines, which we've never had before. They were delicious! For dinner we ordered the 3 Course a la Carte menu ($65 USD per person/ 175 TL). We had octopus, dried tenderloin from BIR; Lamb chop and monkfish from IKI; and UC (dessert) had the intense chocolate and apricot. Everything was excellent! I thought we would still be hungry because the size of the dishes are on the tiny side.. but we were stuffed just right. I thought the quality of the food and presentation was top notch. Service was world-class. Everything about our experience was just amazing and memorable. And best part is we always felt welcomed. You know how some places on this level you just feel out of place. Not here.. there was such variety of people dining there. It has such a thoroughly modern vibe to it that I really liked. So yes I highly recommend Mikla! I think it does make a "great last moment in Istanbul". Go and enjoy! read more

Mikla - Yums - Scandinavian Near Me - Istanbul, 34

Hands down, Mikla lives up to the hype. Perfect sized portions, decent value for a price fixed menu and an amazing view! Their service is great and you need to make a reservation in advance. This is a place to ask for a window seat if available. I would recommend going to the terrace for a drink beforehand (try the ginger cocktail!) to enjoy the best view Istanbul has to offer. The hamsi for course one and the grouper for course two are both very good. And for dessert the rice pudding (sutlac) is out of this world. I have been twice, and can't wait to go for a third time. It's the perfect place to bring visitors for a elegant dining experience! Ps. Wear pants, no shorts allowed! Dress to Impress. read more

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The food, service, ambiance, view... everything is good but it is unnecessarily expensive. I travel the world and I have been to many high end, Michelin starred restaurants. Their pricing seems to be within countries economical standards, only a few are flying high and Mikla is one of them. If you want to dine in in Istanbul and pay as if you are in the U.S or Japan don't miss the opportunity. Mikla will satisfy your needs and your wallet will be lighter. read more

5-star for ambience and service, 4-star for the dishes and presentation. Overall, we had a very enjoyable dinner at Mikla. The service from the host to our server were impeccable. I ordered the prawn and the braised lamb which were both well prepared. The dishes were also very well priced for a top-tier restaurant. The restaurant is located on the top floor of the Mamara Pera restaurant, so be sure to ask to be dropped off at the hotel. read more

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